This course will offer a general overview of the criminal justice system in the U.S. The history and philosophy of criminal justice will be examined. Systemic problems, such as the organization and jurisdiction of local, state and federal criminal justice components, will be discussed and possible solutions developed. Historical and current theories of crime causation and punishment in America will be explained and discussed.

This course offers an overview of the historical development, philosophy, and content of California and federal criminal law and constitutional provisions. The course reviews constitutional rights, definitions, classification of crimes, elements of criminal offenses, and their application to the criminal justice system. Legal research, methodology, and concepts of law as a social, religious and historical force will be examined. California statutes related to laws of arrest, crimes against persons, and crimes involving property are explored in detail. Case law and current media reports will be utilized to enhance the students' understanding of criminal law.

Students will explore the roles of practitioners in the criminal justice field. Through discussion and study the students will review the expectations and perceptions of the public. Principal emphasis will be placed on community-oriented policing, discretionary decision making, the use of authority, along with communications and crisis management by persons working in the criminal justice system. Students will explore the complex relationship between the community and the justice system, with emphasis on the challenges of dealing with the role of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, social class, language, and culture in shaping these relations.

This course will review the structure of the California Evidence Code, its procedures and rules as they apply to the admissibility of evidence in criminal proceedings. Emphasis will be placed on review of statutes and case law in the areas of search and seizure, witnesses' confessions and admissions, and presentation of evidence.

Students will review and discuss legal processes from pre-arrest, arrest through trial, sentencing and correctional procedures. A review of the history of case and common law and conceptual interpretations of law as reflected in court decisions will be discussed. The course will use case law methodology and research to review the impact these decisions have had on the justice system.

This course covers report writing and courtroom procedures for criminal justice practitioners. Emphasis will be on mastering report writing to record crime scenes, emergency response situations, routine occurrences, and laboratory examinations and on responsibilities regarding pretrial preparation and responses while testifying as a witness. The goal of this course is to help the student learn how to translate observations into a succinct, yet comprehensive document, for court presentation and how it is essential for testimony, to be given serious consideration by the court, law enforcement personnel present themselves as professional, credible and reliable witnesses. Focus will also be placed on the importance of information gathering techniques, appropriate law enforcement personnel responses while testifying as a witness, and thorough, accurate, and well-written report writing, not only as a reflection of professionalism, but also to ensure the ability of the justice system to adjudicate the criminal case.

This course introduces responsibilities, procedures, philosophies, techniques, and methods of police patrol. It includes patrol preparation, field observation, field interviews, handling of complaints, mechanics of arrest, police ethics, and professionalism.

This course stresses the fundamentals of criminal investigation. Topics include collection and preservation of evidence, scientific aids, modus operandi, sources of information, interviewing and interrogation techniques, follow-up and case preparation, criminal profiling, crime scene sketching, fingerprint analysis and D.N.A. A brief history of criminal investigation precedes the main course of instruction.

This course will offer an overview of the juvenile justice system in California, including the history of juvenile law and current police and probation procedures. Theories on delinquency causes and treatments will be discussed as an avenue toward understanding the juvenile offender. Child abuse/neglect and crimes against children, including sex crimes, will also be covered.

This is a survey course that will provide the student an opportunity to review the geopolitical history of drug trafficking and the evolution of laws regulating the distribution and use of drugs, with special emphasis on current statutes and court decisions relating to the distribution and use of drugs. Information on the source, distribution, and use of narcotics, coca products, hallucinogens, and cannabinoids will be presented. Fundamentals of drug investigation techniques and treatment of drug abusers will also be discussed.

This course is a historical and contemporary analysis of criminal homicide. Using actual case studies, students will examine the nature and extent of murder, including serial murder and sex-crime-related murder. Victimology, suspect profiling, and investigative techniques will also be assessed in relation to current and appropriate investigative procedures for the identification, collection, preservation, and presentation of evidence from a homicide crime scene.

This course is an overview of the historical aspects of punishment and the development of contemporary correctional philosophy in the United States. The course will focus on the legal issues, general laws and general operations in correctional institutions. The relationship between correctional and other components of the criminal justice system will also be examined. The ideals of correctional philosophy are compared with the contemporary problems in corrections.

This course presents an overview of the history and philosophical foundations of probation and parole in the United States. The course examines the organization and operation of probation and parole agencies as particular segments of the criminal justice system. Theoretical concerns and practical aspects of probation and parole services will be discussed. Issues and problems relating to the pre-sentence report, determinate versus indeterminate sentencing, the roles of probation and parole officers, and the legal decisions affecting the practice of probation and parole will be examined.

Trends in crime and delinquency will be investigated; major types of criminal behavior will be explored; the major theories of the causes of criminality will be discussed and critiqued; crime control theories and programs will be discussed; and, classifications of crimes and their relationship to criminal behavior will also be explored.

This course presents an overview of traditional and emerging legal, psychological, and sociological perspectives in the field of victimology. While this course will address the consequences of victimization, and methods of recovery, students will also consider the broader legal policies and program implications of the victims movement in the United States.

This course is an introduction to forensic science. The techniques and methods used by forensic scientists to collect and evaluate biological and physical evidence in the modern forensic laboratory will be presented through demonstrations and guest presentations. Emphasis is placed on applied forensic methods, evaluation of the limitations of current techniques and interpretations, and how to pursue a career in a particular specialty area of forensic science.

This course is an introduction to forensic science lab procedures and crime scene investigation. Students will practice the techniques and methods used by crime scene investigators and forensic scientists to evaluate, document, and collect biological and physical evidence.

This course explores the application of standard scientific and anthropological techniques to identify human remains and to assist in the detection of a crime. It introduces a basic overview of the fields of forensic anthropology and human osteology. Focus is on the techniques used to make estimates of age, sex, ancestry, and stature; recovery techniques; and the procedures used in the medico-legal framework.

This course addresses how to conduct digital assessments by discussing what digital forensics are, what crucial tactical concepts are used, and what tools are needed to perform complete and accurate examinations. Details on digital forensics for computers, networks, cell phones, GPS, the cloud, and the Internet are also discussed, as well as how to lawfully collect evidence, document the scene, and recover deleted data.

This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of crime analytics and its use as a means to assess the impact of crime. Emphasis is placed on crime mapping and criminal network analysis to facilitate decision-making regarding strategies designed to mitigate or prevent crime. Additionally, the impact of legislation on policing, law enforcement, and the community will be analyzed using crime data.

This course addresses ethical issues in the three components of the Criminal Justice System; law enforcement, judicial, and corrections. It explores ethical dilemmas, value definitions, and their application to decision making; by police, court, probation, parole, corrections, and private security personnel. Remediation strategies relating to unethical behavior by individuals and groups will also be addressed. It provides the student with ethical standards and guidelines as well as philosophical and theoretical issues relating to frequent ethical violations throughout the criminal justice system. It is designed to provide basic coverage of morality, ethics, and human behavior. Topics covered include the key elements of ethical guidelines, individual aspects of ethical codes, courtroom testimony and admissibility issues, and ethical standards for all written reports, and procedural and substantive law issues. Additionally, the course considers how character and personal values influence the training, supervision, management, and leadership of successful criminal justice system organizations.

This workshop is designed to assist students in preparing for employment as a crime scene investigator, forensic technician or forensic scientist by identifying areas of education, training, background and knowledge that are necessary for employment. The workshop will identify effective strategies and techniques for applying for employment, identifying areas in the selection and testing process where a student may demonstrate substandard performance, and focus on areas of the background process and/or the testing process that may disqualify an individual from service in these employment fields. This workshop should be taken in the student’s first semester of the Forensic Studies program.

This course examines the fundamental theories of physical evidence, legal issues and the proper management of the collection and preservation of evidence. Topics related to documenting, collecting, processing and analyzing crime scene evidence will be explored. This course focuses on an understanding of the total range of criminal investigation procedures in order to make the appropriate decisions regarding Crime Scene Management and Processing for the identification and preservation of evidence at the scene of a crime.

Theory and practices of forensic and crime scene photography and digital documentation are covered in this course to develop proficiency and technical photography skills in legal and field environments. Students will obtain an introduction to the basic principles of photography and academic and skill-building technical exposure in forensic photography, with a focus upon photographic documentation of forensic environments, including crime scene photography, injury documentation, evidence photography, specialized crime scene photography, varying light conditions photography, and proper and lawful photographic evidence and digital documentation collection.

This course is a study of the history and application of fingerprints in the criminal justice field. Emphasis is placed on the proper techniques for recording fingerprints, recognition of fingerprint patterns, fingerprint classification systems, techniques for the development of latent prints from evidence, preparing fingerprints for computer searches, aspects of individualizing fingerprints, and court presentation of fingerprint evidence.

This course provides training and skill development in crime scene investigation with the recording, collection, preservation and subsequent laboratory analysis of physical and testimonial evidence with a focus on recognizing items of trace and impression evidentiary value such as fingerprints, shoe prints, tool marks, firearms identification, paint chips, hair, and fibers. Goals, limitations, and preparation of trace and pattern evidence for use in legal cases and courtroom testimony will be analyzed.

This course provides crime scene processing and evidence collection and analysis experience by integrating the knowledge gained in previous coursework related to the forensic sciences. Utilizing a complex mock crime scene, this course is designed to simulate a “Competency Test,” which is a requirement at the culmination of any training program at an accredited forensic laboratory. The final product of the competency test will be structured as a student portfolio, which has the potential of being presented when applying for employment in the field crime scene investigation and/or forensic lab disciplines. An internship with a local law enforcement agency or forensic laboratory may be completed in lieu of this capstone project.

This course will cover the fundamentals of law enforcement embracing all those subject areas that will enhance an officer's ability to perform as a member of a police or allied agency. Subjects covered will be: criminal law; laws of arrest, search and seizure; moral, legal and safety aspects in use of firearms; and, community relations. Required for state certification under Peace Officers Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) guidelines.

This course will cover the fundamentals of firearms, including the information necessary for the student to perform as a member of a police or allied agency. Topics will include safety aspects in use of firearms and practical application of firearms on range. Completion of this training is required for state certification under P.O.S.T. (Peace Officers Standards and Training) guidelines.

This course offers specialized study opportunities for students who wish to pursue projects not included in the regular curriculum. Students are accepted only by a written project proposal approved by the discipline prior to enrollment.

This course offers students who are volunteers (unpaid) an opportunity to obtain work experience related to their field of study. Students are accepted as a result of consultation with a designate faculty member in the discipline and the acceptance of an approved work proposal.

This course offers students who are employed in the field an opportunity to expand their work experience related to their field of study. Students are accepted as a result of consultation with a designated faculty member in the discipline and the acceptance of an approved work proposal.